Sunday, 28 May 2017

Boeing yesterday (Saturday 27 May) delivered to Ryanair the first 737-800 with enhanced short runway landing and takeoff capabilities according to a post on Dublin Spotters Facebook Group.

The aircraft registered EI-FZX c/n 44791 callsign 'Ryanair 800X' touched down in Dublin at 1526 local after a direct flight from Boeing Field.

Ryanair's full year results are scheduled to be released next Tuesday 30 May when further details may become available how the carrier will deploy the 737-800 SFP across it's network.

The 737 design enhancements allow operators to fly increased payload in and out of airports with runways less than 5,000 feet long.

The design enhancements include a two-position tail skid that enables reduced approach speeds, sealed leading-edge slats that provide increased lift during takeoff, and increased flight spoiler deflection on the ground that improves takeoff and landing performance.

The short-field performance changes were developed in 2004 in response to Brazilian airline GOL's needs at Santos Dumont airstrip in Rio de Janeiro. The 4,300-foot runway is short compared to other runways and could not accommodate larger aircraft at higher approach speeds with full payloads.

The short-field design package is an option on the 737-600, -700 and -800 and is standard equipment for the 737-900ER.

The enhancements increase payload capability for landing up to 8,000 pounds and increase payload capability for takeoff up to 2,000 pounds on the 737-800.

Short Runway Package Technical Aspects:

A winglet lift credit, achieved through additional winglet testing, that allows the use of lower landing-approach speeds

Takeoff performance improvements such as using sealed leading-edge slats on all takeoff flap positions, which allows the airplane to climb up and away more rapidly on shorter runways.

A two-position tailskid at the rear of the aircraft. The tailskid protects longerbodied 737-800s against inadvertent tailstrikes during landing, which allows higher aircraft approach attitudes and lower landing speeds.

Saturday, 27 May 2017

Aer Lingus added a 11th Airbus A330 to it's growing North American fleet. The new Airbus A330-302 aircraft, named Saint Carthage, registration EI-GAJ, was delivered Toulouse to Dublin on Tuesday 23 May as 'Shamrock 991' touching down at 2144 local.

The aircraft has a total capacity of 313 seats, which is made up of 30 business class seats and 283 economy seats.

EI-GAJ made its first commercial voyage on Wednesday 24 May as EIN109 from Dublin to New York JFK.

The Airbus A330-300 has an average list price of $259.0 million according to the latest figures released by Airbus in January taking into account the materials and commodities prices.

This summer Aer Lingus will operate it's largest ever transatlantic schedule flying to 11 North American destinations, with a total of 2.5 million transatlantic seats.

The airline will increase frequency on Los Angeles service to a daily flight for the peak season, Dublin to Orlando will increase to four times per week, and Chicago will also increase to a double-daily service.

A new three time weekly service from Dublin to Miami commences on 1 September.

Aer Lingus is to due receive a second new Airbus A330-300 in December as part of order announced last year at Farnborough Air Show.

The fist visit to Dublin Airport of the new Bombardier CSeries CS300 aircraft took place on Wednesday 24 May when C-FFDO c/n 55002 callsign BBA508 operated from Montreal to Dublin as part of it's 120 minute ETOPS (Extended Twin Operations) certification process. The aircraft returned to Montreal the next day.

The Bombardier CSeries CS300 aircraft C-FFDK CS300 c/n 55001 visited Belfast City in July 2015 to celebrate Northern Ireland’s contribution to the success of the C Series programme at Bombardier’s wing facility.

Bombardier has made investment of £520 million in Belfast on the research, design, manufacture and assembly of the C Series aircraft wings in it's purpose-built 600,000 square feet facility using innovative carbon-fibre composite technology, enabling both material and aircraft weight savings, contributing significantly to the C Series airliner’s game-changing economic and environmental credentials.

Swiss International the launch operator for the smaller CS100, became the first operator of the type into Dublin, will become the first airline to operate both variants of the CSeries when the CS300 enters service from Geneva.

Twelve C Series aircraft have been delivered by Bombardier so far, nine of which have been delivered to SWISS. Three CS300 aircraft are currently in operations with airBaltic.

Saturday, 20 May 2017

The Airbus A350-1000 has conducted thee flights into Irish Airspace over the last few months as part of it's test and certification programme. The type is on track to reach Type Certification followed by Entry Into Service in second half of 2017.

The A350-1000 completed successfully its first and unique “Early Long Flight” with 310 passengers on board, including 10 Airbus Flight Test crew members and 13 Virgin Atlantic cabin crew.

Test aircraft F-WXLV Airbus A350-1041 c/n 065 took off from and landed in Toulouse on May 11th after a 12 hours flight. The Early Long Flight allows Airbus to assess cabin environment and systems in-flight and optimize cabin procedures to ensure full maturity at Entry Into Service for its customers.

According to open source Flight tracking website Flightradar24 playback shows the aircraft overflew the vicinity of Cork, Dublin and Shannon.

On 3 May Airbus’ A350-1000 test aircraft F-WWXL MSN071 has completed fuel system and engine tests in Cardiff, Wales between 3 and 4 May as part of its type certification flight test campaign.

The objective of the test was to simulate operational conditions in hot countries and check how global fuel management system and engines behave with hot fuel (over 43°C).

According to data from open source flight tracking website the aircraft operated in a long circuit pattern over the Southern Irish Sea.

The aircraft successfully completed five days of intensive testing at an outside air temperature (OAT) that fluctuated between -28 degrees and -37 degrees Celsius.

International Airlines Group (IAG) parent company of Aer Lingus has ordered 18 Airbus A350-1000 plus 18 option which will be used to partially to replace British Airways fleet of 30 Boeing 747-400 aircraft between 2017 and 2023.

IAG negotiated commercial terms and production slots for an additional batch of aircraft that would be allocated to its Iberia division. In 2018 Iberia will receive the first of 16 Airbus A350-900 aircraft ordered.

Willie Walsh, IAG's chief executive, said "The A350-1000 will bring many benefits to our fleet. Its size and range will be an excellent fit for our existing network and, with lower unit costs, there is an opportunity to operate a new range of destinations profitably."

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair added seven brand new Boeing 737-800s to it's fleet in April increasing fleet to 391 aircraft. The Irish low-cost carrier operates the largest fleet of Next-Generation 737-800s in the world.

Sunday, 14 May 2017

Irish airline CityJet took delivery of its fifth Sukhoi Superjet 100, from an order for fifteen aircraft that the airline placed in October 2015.

Vladislav Masalov, SCAC President said "After performing its first commercial flight on SSJ100 in June 2016, CityJet became the first European operator of this aircraft type. We are delighted to see another Sukhoi Superjet 100 to join the airline’s fleet and we are planning to deliver three SSJ100 more by the end of 2017 to support CityJet plans for development."

The airline operates the aircraft on charter services and on wet lease services on behalf of other airlines, where it provides the aircraft, crews and maintenance services for customer airlines.

The latest aircraft, registered EI-FWE, will be operated by CityJet on behalf of Brussels Airlines as part of a wet-lease agreement and is the third aircraft of this type operating for the Belgian airline.
The CityJet aircraft are delivered in a 98-seat configuration with an exclusive Pininfarina interior developed by the Italian design-bureau.

The SSJ100 features five-abreast seating with a 32 inch seat pitch and the passenger cabin’s height of more than 2 meters to provide comfort on the flight.

A further three Sukhoi Superjet 100 are to be delivered to Cityjet by end of year.

According to open source data website Planespotters.net N233NV is a 2001 vintage aircraft orginally operated by Eurofly and Merdiana as I-EEZG. Then returned to GECAS in 2013 prior lease to Aer Lingus wet-lease operation with Virgin Little Red.

Saturday, 13 May 2017

A record 2.5 million passengers travelled through Dublin Airport in April, a 12% increase on the same period last year. The performance was boosted by the timing of Easter.

The number of passengers using Dublin Airport as a hub to connect to another destination increased by 52% with more than 130,000 passengers connecting through Dublin Airport last month.

Domestic traffic rose by 16% with almost 8,700 passengers travelling on domestic routes in April.

International traffic, predominantly to the Middle East, increased by 20% with over 69,000 passengers travelling to and from these destinations in April as Etihad Airways increased frequency to double daily to Abu Dhabi.

Passenger volumes to and from Continental Europe increased by 13% with almost 1.3 million passengers travelling this route sector in April.

Transatlantic passenger volumes grew by 34% with almost 263,000 passengers travelling to and from North America in April.

UK traffic increased by 5% as almost 851,000 passengers travelled to and from the UK last month.

More than 8.3 million passengers have travelled through Dublin Airport in the first four months of this year, which is a 7% increase over the same period last year.

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